Craig Casey captains hugely exciting Ireland rugby summer squad

An exciting group of players.

Head coach Paul O'Connell has named his squad for Ireland's summer tour of Georgia and Portugal next month.

As expected, with 15 players away with the Lions, it is a young squad, bursting with potential.

It is a 32-man squad, with three training panellists, with 14 uncapped players in total.

The provincial breakdown is as follows: 12 Leinster, 10 Ulster, 7 Munster, 6 Connacht.

Munster scrum-half Craig Casey has been named as captain after a hugely impressive season, where he was unlucky to miss out on a Lions spot.

Ireland rugby summer squad:

Player/Club/Province/Caps

Forwards (18):

Tom Ahern (Shannon/Munster)*
Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(27)
Finlay Bealham (Corinthians/Connacht)(51)
Jack Boyle (UCD/Leinster)(2)
Thomas Clarkson (Dublin University/Leinster)(6)
Gavin Coombes (Young Munster/Munster)(2)
Max Deegan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(2)
Cormac Izuchukwu (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(1)
Alex Kendellen (UCC/Munster)*
Gus McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)(4)
Paddy McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)*
Michael Milne (UCD/Munster)*
Darragh Murray (Buccaneers/Connacht)*
Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(16)
Cian Prendergast (UCD/Connacht)(4)
Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley/Leinster)*
Tom Stewart (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(2)
Nick Timoney (Banbridge/Ulster)(3)

Backs (14):

Shayne Bolton (Connacht)*
Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster)(captain)(18)
Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(24)
Nathan Doak (Banbridge/Ulster)*
Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(8)
Hugh Gavin (Galwegians/Connacht)*
Stuart McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster)(19)
Ben Murphy (Clontarf/Connacht)*
Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(10)
Jimmy O’Brien (Naas/Leinster)(8)
Tommy O’Brien (UCD/Leinster)*
Jamie Osborne (Naas/Leinster)(7)
Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)(8)
Jacob Stockdale (Lurgan/Ulster)(38)

Training Panellists:

James McNabney (City of Armagh/Ulster)*
Jude Postlethwaite (City of Armagh/Ulster)*
Zac Ward (Ballynahinch/Ulster)*

*denotes uncapped

Ireland Summer Tour Fixtures

Saturday, 5th July: Georgia v Ireland, Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi (kick off 9pm local time, 6pm Irish time). Tickets are available now from the Georgian Rugby Union – here.

Saturday, 12th July: Portugal v Ireland, Estádio Nacional do Jamor, Lisbon (kick off 7pm local, same Irish time). Tickets are available now from the Portugal Rugby Union – here.